1950 Map of Shutesbury

About this map

The western shoreline of the Quabbin Reservoir dominates the eastern edge of this landscape, reflecting a massive transformation of the Swift River Valley. To the west, the upland terrain is dotted with small hamlets and agricultural clearings such as Cooleyville, Dudleyville, and Moores Corner. The central village of Shutesbury serves as a focal point, situated near the headwaters of numerous brooks that drain the surrounding ridges, including Doolittle Brook and Osgood Brook. In the southern portion of the sheet, the town of Pelham and the settlement at West Pelham are visible, connected by a network of rural roads like Pelham Hill Road. Educational and civic life are marked by the Rhodes Sch and local burial grounds including the West Cem and Valley Cem. Numerous smaller bodies of water, such as Lake Wyola and Atkins Reservoir, illustrate the region's reliance on managed water resources for local communities and industry during the mid-century era.